A Banquet for All… But Not Without the Wedding Robe

 1. Salvation is universal but it is also particular. It is offered to all peoples but in a certain “place”: Jerusalem, the Church, the Christ, that is, “this” Christ.

“On this mountain the Lord of hosts will make for all peoples a feast of rich food… It will be said on that day, ‘Lo, this is our God; we have waited for him, so that he might save us. This is the Lord for whom we have waited; let us be glad and rejoice in his salvation. For the hand of the Lord will rest on this mountain’” (Isaiah 25). Salvation is for all peoples, but it is connected to this mountain, to Jerusalem. Salvation is for all peoples but they must come to Jerusalem, the Holy City.

“He sent his slaves to call those who had been invited to the wedding banquet, but they would not come… Then he said to his slaves, ‘The wedding is ready, but those invited were not worthy. Go therefore into the main streets, and invite everyone you find to the wedding banquet.’” (Matthew 22). It is the wedding of his son, not any wedding: this is a reference to Christ. Those who are invited have a duty to come (it is their king who invites), but some of them refuse. God’s salvation is not automatic: there is an invitation to all to a particular banquet, and one must decide to go or not.

2. Salvation is offered in the form of a banquet

“The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who gave a wedding banquet for his son” (Matthew 22).

“The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures; he leads me beside still waters; he restores my soul…” (Psalm 23). A banquet as food and drink: here is green pastures and water for the sheep, rich food and well-aged wines for all peoples.

It is a banquet that strengthens those who eat: “he restores my soul” (Psalm 23) or, as St. Paul says, “I can do all things through him who strengthens me” (Philippians 4). It is a banquet that satisfies the desires of those who eat: “You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. My cup overflows” or, as St. Paul says, “My God will fully satisfy every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus.” Thus, the Eucharistic banquet gives us strength to resist evil and spiritual decay, and satisfies, when it is well received, our hearts’ desire of being loved.

3. This banquet entails requirements.

“But when the king came in to see the guests, he noticed a man there who was not wearing a wedding robe, and he said to him, ‘Friend, how did you get in here without a wedding robe?’” (Matthew 22). Traditionally, this wedding robe is interpreted as the state of grace that is needed in order to receive Holy Communion. The state of grace is the white robe we have received at our baptism and that we may lose by committing a mortal sin. We recover this wedding robe, that is, the state of grace, in the sacrament of Reconciliation. Thus, in order to participate at this great and rich banquet, we must wear the wedding robe.

4. Salvation is offered to all, but not all are saved.

“You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies” (Psalm 23).  There are enemies who do not eat the banquet. And the Lord says, “For many are called, but few are chosen” (Matthew 22). To be chosen does not mean that you don’t have a choice, but that you are chosen if you respond properly to the call, by the grace of God. “‘Friend, how did you get in here without a wedding robe?’ And he was speechless. Then the king said to the attendants, ‘Bind him hand and foot, and throw him into the outer darkness.’” The guest was speechless, because there was no excuse. The wedding robe was offered to everyone, but it was one’s own responsibility to put it on.

Being invited to this wedding is a joy and a responsibility. One day the King will come in to see the guests, to see those who were invited and came into the Church, and He will want to see us wearing our wedding robe. May we not disappoint Him. The Banquet of the Eucharist gives us strength and satisfies our hearts: let us enjoy it with clean hearts, so that we may give thanks eternally in the Banquet of Heaven.